Moldovans are heading to the polls for a tense presidential election runoff that could significantly influence the country’s European ambitions, amid concerns about potential Russian interference.
The election, taking place in a nation bordering the conflict-ridden Ukraine, follows a narrow referendum two weeks ago in favor of joining the European Union.
Pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu secured 42.5% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election held two weeks prior.
Her opponent, Alexandr Stoianoglo, backed by the pro-Russian Socialists and removed from his position as prosecutor general by Sandu last year, garnered 26% of the votes.
In both of these former Soviet republics, Russia has been accused of attempting to manipulate voter sentiment. Russia has denied these allegations.
‘Honest votes’
Ms. Sandu, a 52-year-old strong proponent of Western policies and a former World Bank economist, attributed the slim margin in the EU referendum—where 50.35% voted in favor of membership—to “foreign interference.”
Authorities reported that they had uncovered a Russian scheme for vote-buying that could influence up to 25% of the ballots.
For the presidential runoff, polling stations opened at 7am (5am Irish time) and will remain open until 9pm, with the first partial results anticipated an hour later.
In the lead-up to the vote, Ms. Sandu’s team ramped up campaigns through social media and door-to-door outreach in rural areas to mitigate the impact of vote buying.
Pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu secured 42.5% of the votes in the initial round.
“Let’s stay mobilized so that the honest votes dictate the results of this election, not the bought ones,” Ms. Sandu urged in a video message released on Friday.
In communications sent via mobile and even broadcast through supermarket loudspeakers, police have been advising individuals offered money in exchange for their votes to decline.
Authorities have reported a “massive phenomenon” involving individuals receiving calls, emails, and even threats aimed at influencing their voting decisions.
Prime Minister Dorin Recean has labeled the situation as an “extreme attack… intended to instill panic and fear, discouraging people from going out to vote.”
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ms. Sandu applied for Moldova, which has a population of 2.6 million, to join the EU. Formal accession negotiations commenced in June.
While Mr. Stoianoglo, 57, claims to support EU membership, he boycotted the referendum, referring to it as a “parody,” and promised his supporters a “balanced foreign policy” that would mend ties with Moscow, which Sandu had strained.
Analysts suggest that his ambiguous stance on the EU could allow Moldova to pursue its EU goals formally while taking actions to counter them if he were to win.
“I will genuinely be a president for everyone and will never divide the populace,” Stoianoglo — known for his scripted speeches that often alternate between Russian and Romanian, the country’s official language — stated on Friday.
Deeply Polarized Nation
Moldova is already highly polarized, with a significant diaspora and the capital largely supporting EU integration, while rural areas and the pro-Russian separatist regions of Transnistria and Gagauzia oppose it.
“We believe in Maia Sandu to guide us in the right direction… (but) there is still a lingering Soviet influence here, which runs deep,” remarked Acsenia, a 56-year-old retiree.
Conversely, individuals like 75-year-old Zinovia Zaharovna expressed their opposition to EU membership, preferring that Moldova remain an independent nation.
“Many are afraid of war and view a candidate who fosters good relations with Moscow as a safeguard against aggression,” commented Andrei Curararu, an expert from the Chisinau-based WatchDog think tank.
The election is under international scrutiny for potential signs of Russian meddling.
According to Mr. Curararu, “the pressure is unprecedented,” with over $100 million estimated to have been spent on various “destabilization activities.”
“Moldova is paying a steep price,” he concluded, for its attempts to distance itself from Russia.
